About

Kitty Says…

“I find that the wine world isn’t that different from the art world. Every vintage, every winemakers vision, every batch of wine is different from what came before or will come after. It’s always interesting.”

Kitty Donohoe has been an area musician for many years with a Michigan Emmy to her credit for her heartfelt song written on 9/11 called ‘There Are No Words.’ Known for her warmth, humor and outstanding songwriting skills, Kitty has also spent time in the ranks of ‘wine tenders’, gaining an appreciation along the way of the wines coming from the lower regions of the state. While touring nationally, recording several CDs and working with children and seniors, Kitty took some courses in wine appreciation, which led to jobs in small bottle shops, eventually landing her the position of the Wine Consultant at a high-end Ann Arbor market. “I always thought it would be fun to put the music and the wine knowledge together, and The Wine Gypsy is the perfect fit for those two skills.”

Sandhill Crane Vineyards is a family operation based a bit east of Jackson, Michigan. In just 9 years the winery has outgrown it’s original space and recently celebrated the opening of  a major expansion that includes a much larger tasting room, a cafe, a room with a fireplace and stage for events and, of course, a much larger cellar for Holly, the winemaker. Sandhill Crane currently has over 35 wines, with countless awards for many of them. All of the grapes are either grown on the two family estates or purchased from Michigan growers, all within about 150 miles or so. Even the honey for the meads is local. In addition to their committment to supporting local farmers, the family is avid supporters of rescue animals and a portion of the sales of a number of their wines is donated to the Haehnle Bird Sanctuary, the Dahlem Environmental Center, Legacy Land Conservancy and the Cascades Humane Society. They’re also involved in several activities that promote Jackson and other area communities.